Inter Milan suffered another defeat in the Derby della Madonnina, losing to AC Milan on October 31, 2026, extending their winless streak against their city rivals to eight matches across three different Milan coaches.
The Rossoneri took a two-goal lead within the first ten minutes through Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter before halftime, but Diego Moreira's free-kick restored Milan's two-goal advantage. Moreira had already provided two assists in the match.
Inter's defensive frailties have been evident early in the 2026-2027 season, with the team conceding 13 goals in their opening fixtures, the most among the top five Serie A sides. Most of those goals came in the first half, forcing repeated comebacks that may work against lesser opponents but not against elite competition.
Head coach Cristian Chivu faced scrutiny for his tactical adjustments, necessitated by injuries to captain Lautaro Martinez, midfielder Curtis Jones, and defender John Stones. Strikers Francesco Pio Esposito and Yann Bonny were also not fully fit. Chivu deployed Marcus Thuram as the lone striker, supported by attacking midfielders Andy Diouf and Petar Sucic, with Djed Spence and Carlos Augusto on the wings. He also benched 2025-2026 season MVP Federico Dimarco, who entered only as a substitute.
Midfielder Nicolo Barella highlighted the team's mental and tactical issues after the match. The decisive free-kick goal stemmed from Inter losing possession twice in quick succession while pushing for an equalizer, exposing a lack of concentration at a critical moment.
Despite the loss, Inter remain near the top of the Serie A table. They host Como at San Siro next week before the November international break, offering Chivu and his squad a chance to address their problems.
